


The Sea Glistens

by orphan_account



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Dark, Drowning, Folklore, Kidnapping, M/M, Mermaids, Minor Violence, Possessive Behavior, Storms, mermaid au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-02
Updated: 2017-03-02
Packaged: 2018-09-27 19:22:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,228
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10041188
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: There was something bobbing by the waves out at sea, something human. Alexander knew to go out and brave the tides would be suicide, but there was something drawing him in. The waves almost appeared to beckon him.





	

            He’d been stuck in purgatory for what felt like years, tossing in his bed as he tried to find a sleeping position that would be easy to drift away in. But even as he stretched his legs out, fluffed his pillow, and flung his thin blanket over his shoulders for what seemed like the fifth time, he still felt as awake as he had hours ago.

 

            Alexander groaned, kicking the blanket away and rising to a sitting position as he lamented the fate his mind had been reduced to. His back ached from being frozen in place for so long, and even as he pushed his shoulders back to alleviate the worst of it, the soreness refused to dim. It was a state of misery that was inescapable. He knew he was tired, but by God he could not find a loophole to manipulate so that he could be dreaming before the sun rose. 

 

            The room had remained unchanging the whole time, a dark set of walls with furniture silhouette by the crack in one wall that let light spill in steadily. If he listened closely, like he’d been forced to do while unsuccessfully trying to sleep, he would be able to hear the water dropping from the rooftops. It had started off soothing, but by the end of the night it had just become another distraction keeping him from sleep.

 

            For a while he lay looking up at the ceiling, imagining the many twinkling stars outside that would have been much easier to sleep under. They would at least keep his mind off of thinking about sleep, the constellations becoming the avid light of a lantern’s candle. The images made him smile, embracing the heat clinging to him and imagining he really was outside by the beach. The thought alone was appetizing, but with how early it was, partaking on such a journey would make no sense. It would be windy and cold, the tide eating up most of the sand.

 

            But, like all of Alexander’s terrible ideas, it grew on him. It may be stupid and pointless but it was better than sitting around and waiting for something that wouldn’t happen. He groaned into his arms, then made the tough choice to give up on the endeavour, the mere thought of how the sand outside would feel on his feet beyond tempting. It would give some time away from his own mind, and it was more than he could ask for.

 

            His feet brushed the floorboards cautiously as he removed himself from his bed. Some creaked, while others stayed in relative silence. The halls seemed to echo back every breath he made, the rooms working against him. He tiptoed by his mother's room with his belly sucked in, trying to minimize the noises he made so that she wouldn’t wake.

 

            Her snores were barely audible, but from what Alexander could hear she hadn’t stirred, even when one particularly awful board decided to shriek. The fact that she could sleep even through his racket left him half relieved and half envious, and his tired mind conveniently rang in agreeance. The most he could muster in regards to sleep now was a yawn.

 

            It was only going to be a quick walk, so there was no sense in grabbing anything on the way out. He kept his shoes by the door and walked out with his sweater clutched tightly around him, anticipating the colder temperatures the night could bring. The beach wasn’t far from his house, but during the short distance trip there anything could happen. 

 

            Some of the winds were acting rather strange that night. The power behind the gusts was enough to whip debris about, and Alexander hadn’t made it out a few feet before a palm leaf smacked his leg. He kicked it away and hopped down the ledge overlooking the shore, feet scraping against stones and tiny sticks.

 

            The journey to the beach was mainly uneventful, though the longer he walked the more he was exposed to the oncoming storm. The palm trees were bent over slightly and he could bet that the waves from the ocean would have grown large enough to leap over the crag in the distance by now. The thought made his hurry his pace, the taste of salt already bathing on his tongue.

 

            When he did finally leap the fence that separated grassy marsh from the beach, he found the water to be as beautiful as he remembered. The grainy texture of the sand pooled in around his feet, and the smell of seaweed, ocean, and the tropics caressed his nose. Any stress he had acquired from his restless tossing was long since gone, and not even the brute winds could knock him off of his feet now. It was a fight to simply not lay down and lounge here until morn.

 

            The waves crashed against the families of rocks that emerged high above the water, the swirling colours clashing with the cream seafoam spit up on impact with the stones. Glistening specks of colour radiated from the many shells on the beach and reflected back the light of the moon, whose pale yellow tone was dampened by heavy clouds above.

 

            Washed up driftwood was a normal sight on an evening as spastic as this, but even amongst all the calamity Alexander felt a stroke of genuine love. The sweat on his brow was only a reminder that the humid heat and lively colours made up a big part of his home, unrestrained by any chains to urban settlement. 

 

            One particularly loud crash from his right confirmed his suspicions about the rocks. White speckled showered down whenever huge collections of water would be split open by the stone formations, almost as if they were acting like barriers that protected the reef. Water that found its way between the forms was noticeably tamer, crawling up the sandy beaches and bringing the treasures belonging to the deep. 

 

            That’s when he noticed a shape that didn’t fit with the natural palette the waters took. It was a cocoa kind of colour, contrasted by the sandy tone by something underneath it. At first he mistook it for driftwood or some ocean specimen, but then it moved. It failed to follow the rhythm of the waves, and instead sliced through the waves’ patterns, revealing a limb as it did so. The shape was distinctly human, and as a new wave emerged and fall onto them with a crash, it became inevitable they would soon drown under the pressure.

 

            Alexander’s body was already dead set on retrieving them before his mind had even processed what it had just seen, tossing off his sweater and pushing his frilled sleeves up.

 

            “Hello? Can you hear me out there?” He shouted, but as he did so the head disappeared again under the water. Alexander panicked, hope slipping when the person failed to resurface after a few seconds. The undertow between the rocks was so strong it could drag a human out sea in seconds, and though he was praying it hadn’t come into play here, it was slowly being confirmed.

 

            “Hang on, I’m coming to help!” His heart was racing, but he knew if he didn’t run out now the person would be lost to sea. The adrenaline poured into every crevice of his body, he could feel his breathing quicken as his first toe made contact with the retreating waves.

 

            The ocean’s water had long since dropped between what he’d consider comfortable temperatures, but the rush of anxiety kept him running through the changing tides. Underneath his bare feet the sand would slide and suck his feet down, limiting any movements and sending unpleasant shivers up his spine. Seafoam stuck to his calves and lapped at his breeches, soaking through the whimsey fabric and chilling his thighs.

 

            Smells ranging from sea crab to salt infiltrated his nostrils, and it grew to be overpowering as he kicked up sand in an effort to move quicker, his eyes never leaving the brown shape in the distance. The fuzzy brown lines, which he guessed was hair, were creating a sort of halo on the bubbling surface, and even as the larger waves swallowed up the horizon line Alexander could distinguish the natural colour from a distance. He let his eyes focus on them, blurring out the palm trees swaying in the wind and the tops of rocks hidden away by the evening tide, then took a deep breath.

 

            Every step a challenge, and he wasn’t even halfway out when he found his legs could no longer reach the ground. Without gravity to hold him down the undertow was snaking out, tugging on his heels. He fought against it with exaggerated grunts, feeling around for something below him that he could push off of to start his strokes. Though the wet sand was rather unreliable, the underwater boulders provided him the boost he needed, and he rocketed up, ready to crawl forward.

 

          His body fought against the cold ocean water, but with his goal in mind everything else was reduced to white noise. Caribbean green tones were all he could see, the colours darkening into shades when he would submerge underwater. His eyes stung from the salt and he could start to feel his shoulders ache from holding his arms above his head. He even considered turning back before the waves got enormous and he was fed to the ocean’s depths, but all it took was a glimpse of skin for him to abandon that desire. Now was not the time to be selfish.

 

            His body was plunged underwater again and again after trying, and failing, to tackle the monstrous waves that came his way. Strands of hair stuck to his neck and forehead, eyes watching individual water particles float around as he waited for the opportunity to surface. He doubted the other man would be alive at this point, but he was so close to the rocks where he had been floating that it would be a waste of energy to turn around now. Alexander broke the rush above after giving his body a moment to rest and gulped air greedily, noticing the body still above water, still twitching. 

 

            Without the gray tones of the beach, the ocean felt endless, weightless, and detached from everything. The person could have floated in or fell overboard, perhaps went out for a harmless swim when the winds kicked up and the waves grew aggravated enough to wail their unsettling cries. It didn’t matter to Alexander; he was so tired and miserable, clothes intent on dragging him down under. When he finally had the energy to look up, he found himself right in front of the alleged body, which is where he realized two things.

 

            One, it wasn’t a dead body. In fact,  _ he _ seemed rather alive. The waves appeared to break around the body, but from a distance he looked like dead weight, clinging to life with slippery hands. It was a different story up close. Alexander’s wheezing caught the attention of the fellow, who looked over his shoulder with raised eyebrows, the remnants of the moon outlining his features.

 

            Two, he was likely treading water, but if he was, he wasn’t using his arms for it. He looked like he was standing up, but Alexander knew it was impossible with how far out they were. The rocks, which were the only salvation from the tide, were much too far to give possible footing, so Alexander was left swimming aloof, trying to understand how what he’d thought he’d seen and the reality could be so different.

 

            Now that his presence was made clear, the man twisted his torso so that he could look him head on. Alexander coughed up sea water when those eyes locked on him, the green iris’ a beautiful tropical colour that appeared to glow. Both cheeks were freckled and so reminiscent of the night’s constellations, and in mere seconds, took his breath away.

 

            Then he noticed a few other things, like how the outline from behind hinted at something ribbed where his ears should be. His neck had slices that shined so brilliantly, and the “freckles” seemed to multiply near his shoulders, enough to where it became overpowering. Alexander’s arms pushed forward to move his body back and distance himself, but the man simply glided forward effortlessly. 

 

            A pair of hands clasped onto his own and pulled him forward, leaving no room for objections. The position ended up trapping Alexander’s legs between the both of them, and without the kicking from below his body began to sink. Pleas left his mouth in a hurry, the taste of salt overpowering in his mouth wrenched away any focus he had on the man currently holding him captive. 

 

            His left leg broke free of the hold and kicked out to hoist himself up. His toes brushed against something reptilian, scaled and definitely alive. If he didn’t already have a mouth full of sea water and lungs that weren’t burning with a fight he might have shrieked, but he simply didn’t have the energy. 

 

            When a gentle tug on his arms led him along, he could only comply with half-lidded eyes, legs weakly kicking out against the depths. An arm snaked around his torso and heaved him along, the waves breaking as the two fought the tide. The wind slapped Alexander against the face, his lungs coughing up more black water as he could only sit and watch the other try so hard to bring the both of them to safety. 

 

            He was sure he had blacked out for a bit because of sheer fatigue, but there was no mistaking the moment when his cheek hit solid rock. The gritty texture was rough against his skin, but at this point he’d take any given opportunity to latch onto something that would keep him from floating away. His arms lunged forward and wrapped around the thinner area of the rocks, granting him some semblance of security besides for the retreating grab on his waist. Here the were a barricade against the waters, and even if the wind was prevalent, he felt instantly more content with his situation. 

 

            Water slapped down beside him, and he wearily turned to see two toned arms raise up a body much like his own. The man’s elbows dug into the crag, and when his face was finally lifted into view, Alexander couldn’t help but feel his stomach twist in light of his amused face. He had the audacity to smile effortlessly, as if what just conspired was nothing more than a game of tag.

 

_ That’s _ when he noticed the tail swishing behind the man. And oh god, his stomach went from twisting to dropping, the numbness in his toes escalating to sharp pricks. His eyes were glued to the limb, which was like that of a fish’s. The ends of it fanned out and glimmered multiple colours, the most prevalent being a navy blue which was only a tad lighter than the ocean’s waters. Every scale shined, and it reminded Alexander of the opals rich women would wear on the streets when they wanted to make themselves look fancy. 

 

            It was like witnessing a work of art, and as tales of mermaids and merman occupying the waters flooded back into his head, he could muster no other physical reaction than to stare at the tail with his mouth wide open. It was, in hindsight, rather rude, but he couldn’t help it. Most men would have been convinced that mermaids were a myth by the coming age of eleven. What occupied his vision now was a direct insult to every dismissal he ever gave the old folklore.

 

            “-ou so intent on dying, you gave me quite a scare,” Chirped a voice from above, which was heavily accented and unlike any voice Alexander had ever heard. His eyes glanced up, locked with the green iris’ and blinked twice, trying to convince himself that maybe he was hallucinating. He did swallow a lot of water when he first swam out to help.

 

            The merman watched him for a few seconds, then brought a hand up to cover his mouth as he laughed, curls bouncing as he did so. It gave Alexander a good look at what gills made up his arm, which were both elegant and rather eerie. Though the arm was still the right proportions it still managed to come off as more reptilian than human, and deep down, it fascinated Alexander.

 

            One such hand left the confines of the merman’s chest, and Alexander had only a moment’s reaction before the creature reached forward and brushed his cheek with a frigid finger. If Alexander had any doubts of being awake before, that was the moment he fully snapped back into awareness. It was cold, colder than the water, but the way it fondly traced his chin made his cheeks burn. The man, the merman, smiled at him and edged closer.

 

            “Please don’t tell me you can’t speak. I would hate to be the reason why you’ve gone mute,” He murmured, voice purposely softer. Alexander shook his head, feeling his knotted hair slap his neck as he moved.

 

            “Y-You can talk,” He stammered. His shoulders were shaking, the wind catching the clothing that was plastered to his skin and chilling him down to the bone. The merman gaped on for a second, then moved even closer, letting the hand that was previously hiding his mouth cup Alexander’s other cheek. “You can talk, my god.”

 

            The object of his fascination tilted his head to the side. “Of course I can; can you not talk yourself? Humans did not invent the art of language. Though I suppose it is only fair you act so intrigued. I myself thought you would just ignore me if I tried to communicate with human words alone.” Alexander didn’t have an answer, flinching when a wave cracked like a whip above them and poured immense amounts of water down on him.

 

            “So timid,” The merman whined, “I have never seen your kind here on nights like these.” His tail curled in a coil-like shape. “Did you not know that it is dangerous to be so far from shore when we sang to the waves?”

 

            Alexander swallowed the hot lump in his throat. “You’re right, I shouldn’t be anywhere near the water when it’s so treacherous. I-I wouldn’t be here normally.” He turned his head to look back at the shore, which felt miles away. The gray beach was calm and untouched, his footprints already washed away by the creeping waters. 

 

            The hands on his face forced him to look back at the creature, possessively cradling him close. “Then why come so deep knowing you should not?”

 

            “I saw you in the water and thought you were another human being who was drowning. I refused to let that happen if I had the ability to rescue you, so I swam out. Had no idea the waves were going to be that heavy though.” The merman laughed again, but this time his voice felt more natural, as if he was truly amused by what Alexander was saying. The tail draped behind him flicked up, scattering water droplets everywhere.

 

            “I do not know what is funnier. A human trying to help a sea creature swim, or a human drowning in the effort to save another from drowning.” Alexander’s ears burned, and he could feel his hand glide downwards to fiddle with the ends of his shirt. It seemed even a creature as beautiful as a mermaid still had their taunts. 

 

            The embarrassment sat heavy in his gut, and hearing the merman continually laugh did nothing to alleviate it. Now more than ever he wanted to be back home, in bed, listening to that damn water drip for hours on end. He didn’t care if he sat there forever or passed out the minute his face hit his cot; he just wanted to be off of that rock and away from such a blessed creature.

 

            However, when tried to escape from the creature’s grab and move to jump off of the rock, the hold refused to budge. He tried pulling again, and when that didn’t work his cheek felt another sensation, one that was tiny but still very much there. A peripheral glance showed him that the hands hooked into his cheekbones had freed tiny claws that sunk into his skin like needles.

 

            He bolted like a startled colt, but that only made the thin claws sink deeper. It nettled the creature, making him warble and pull harder to keep Alexander stilled.

 

            “Don’t go, please don’t go.” The merman stressed, his tail slamming into the waves with brute force. Alexander, still wary that the talons would do extensive damage if he declined, dipped his head, hoping to pacify the creature. It made the nails disappear, but the grasp remained, pulling Alexander forward with one giant yank. His bare legs cut on the edge of the stone formation as his body was practically dragged to the side where the merman was perched.

 

            “You are so beautiful for a human. The ugly things I see on those large contraptions are far too common.” His long eyelashes fluttered, and he leaned in close enough for the metallic taste of blood to be smelt on his breath. “But you are so feeble and weak, you lack the echoing voice. No, you sound tired but also alive.”

 

            Alexander shrugged, using one of his hands to wipe away the little welts of blood directly underneath his eyes. “Not all humans ride on the boats. The ones that do don’t shave as often, but I assure you that most men here look like me.” He fell short on replies to the compliments, unsure of whether or not encouraging the interest was the best idea.

 

            Round eyes expanded with interest, and a genuine smile stretched the corners of the merman’s face. “Is that so?”

 

            “I suppose you wouldn’t know better though. Only the men on the boats go out to sea. If I knew any better, I would think you follow humans a lot.”

 

            The specimen’s nose scrunched up. “Humans are dangerous and cruel beings that would spear me if I ever dared to come close when the sun is in the sky. The only time they are safe to approach is when they are incapacitated, and even then they are beings to be reckoned with.” His webbed fingers trailed down Alexander’s chin and poked his shoulders. 

 

            The merman closed his eyes for a moment, then cheeped. “But I think you are an exception. You are strange.”

 

            “Is being strange bad in your eyes?” Alexander questioned.

 

            The merman’s eyes dilated like a cat’s, the gills on his neck fluttering. “Oh no no no. That was not meant to be an insult, more a compliment. Mer are so violent and selfish, like the waves you see crossing the Atlantic. To find you is like scouring an anemone and discovering fish.” He stuck his tongue out at Alexander, the rough-looking texture of it only outshone by the fangs that hung low. 

 

            Alexander hummed nervously, legs being forced to spread as the merman put more of his weight forward. “We’re told that mermaids are beautiful creatures that live underwater and enchant the world with their beauty. I didn’t think you would be,” He squinted at the fangs, “Violent.”

 

            The merman smiled, though it lacked the warmth and came off as more of a sneer. “Why of course. Competition is essential, and we need to eat, do we not, beautiful thing? Territory is scarce in these parts.” He leaned forward on Alexander’s shoulder, voice softening when the merman’s mouth brushed up against his ear.

 

            “What do they call you, human? My broods told me that humans decorate themselves with beautiful titles they select after their birth.” Alexander could practically feel the fangs just by how close the other was, and it made his mind blank.

 

            For a few seconds Alexander couldn’t piece what he was trying to ask. He stared back at the creature with lidded eyes and paused. The other used a scaled hand to gesture to his chest, which helped the ends meet.

 

            “Oh, you mean my name? It’s Alexander.”

 

            “Alexander,” He purred, failing to replicate the inflection properly, “What a lovely name for a lovely human.” The merman put his hand back on Alexander and heaved himself up the slanted surface with obvious effort. The human was forced to bear the full weight, which was only slightly painful when he factored in the rough scales grinding up against Alexander’s legs.

 

            “You can call me Laurens; I’ll spare you the grand title. Humans wouldn’t understand what it means.”  _ Laurens _ crept closer, letting go of Alexander’s shoulders in favour of flopping down on his lap, nose pressed into the man’s stomach. Alexander’s heart dropped at the sight of the merman’s fangs being so close to his belly, but he knew aggravating the creature by moving might make his situation worse. The claw marks on his face from earlier still stung, and that had been from simply pulling away gently.

 

            He tried to keep as perfectly still, which was hard taking into account Laurens’ wandering hands. Both of them were making their way down to his thigh, the tips of the claws catching in the soaked fabric of his breeches. It was already a bit uncomfortable as is, but the sensations were made worse with how fascinated Laurens looked. The merman’s face was lit alight with childlike wonder as he studied each mark with vivid fascination.

 

            Flustered, Alexander opted to distract himself by looking out at the moon’s concealed form, which rested out beyond the sea’s horizon idly. The winds were still howling, but the whitecaps weren’t nearly as threatening now, giving him a picture perfect view of the water. He’d be following the direction of the tide if he happened to jump in now and try to swim back, which meant it wouldn’t take as much energy.

 

            The only issue was Laurens, who hadn’t let go of him since Alexander had looked in the eye, half-drowned. Fidgeting only made the treatment worse, and with how rough he was acting Alexander could guess that Laurens wasn’t aware of how delicate humans could be. He didn’t know what to do, and goodness, his mother would start worrying if she woke up and he wasn’t there. It was supposed to be a quick walk to clear his mind, not a meeting with the supernatural.

 

            He pushed back the nervous feeling budding in his chest and straightened his back. “Laurens, could I ask something of you?”

 

            Laurens looked up with wide eyes, his shoulder pressing into the man’s groin. “Do tell.”

 

            “What I said earlier wasn’t exaggerated. I’m not supposed to be here, and it’s getting late. Would you mind moving back a bit so that I could swim out to shore?”

 

            The merman’s face fell, his heavy tail stilling in the water. “Your nest? Surely you can come and go as you please.” He gave a toothy smile, but got none in return, which deflated his features.

 

            “I can, but I’m very tired from swimming. My family,” He paused, looking for words to help him understand, “My brood will be worried if I don’t come back soon, and I do need my rest.” He tried to pull his leg away, but Laurens grabbed onto it with both scaled arms. “ _ Please _ .”

 

            A whine tore itself from the back of Laurens’ throat, managing to be harsh, but still so beautiful. “But I have just found you, and if you are so tired you should not be swimming,” He reasoned. “You almost died saving me, so I must keep you safe until your strength has returned.”

 

            Stranded out in the middle of nowhere, it wasn’t like he had much of a say. Alexander let out a sigh of defeat and reclined back, his neck carefully balancing on the rock’s stubby surface. Laurens went back to his investigation, his cold hands following the shape of Alexander’s legs. The webbing felt slimy and uncomfortable, and it took every ounce of self restraint to not pull away. 

 

            His mind couldn’t help but use the time to wonder what the hell he’d tell his mother the next morning. Heck, his friends, what would he tell his colleagues? They wouldn’t believe him even if he told the truth, but what explanation could he give for being stranded up on a rocky perch a near kilometer from shore?

 

            “Alexander,” Laurens trilled, “You are so warm. Like the sun.”

 

            “And you’re freezing,” Alexander huffed, pulling his leg away when Laurens made to lean on his elbows. Surprisingly, Laurens did let him go this time, though his eyes were still set on observing the human’s every move. It wasn’t as bad when he observed his legs, but when his interested eyes zoned in on his throat Alexander decided to play it safe and tuck his chin down.

 

            Obviously, Laurens didn’t like it, and he could hear a growl rising in the merman’s throat. “Alexander you remind me of clams, always hiding and bent over. Why do you conceal yourself so?”

 

            “Why do you have to ask so many questions?” Alexander fired back, feeling his teeth clatter as a gust of wind nearly toppled him over.

 

            “Dearest Alexander, I simply yearn to know what you know.”

 

            “Even if I’m a dangerous human?”

 

            Laurens laughed. “But I have no reason to be afraid.” His eyes fell to a piece of moss on one of the stones, which he traced with his finger. “I see your kind on the beaches all the time. Fleeting little things you are. If I get close to so many I may die, and if I catch one alone it runs. I wanted to see what a human was up close, learn why they prefer the land and fear the ocean’s creatures enough to kill on sight.”

 

            “I see, well,” Alexander looked around briefly, “It’s not like I’m able to run.”

 

            Laurens turned on him with his gills flapping. “Of course not, unless humans have the ability to walk on water and I have not been informed.” 

 

            “Well, if I’m going to be stuck here for a while then,” He looked down at Laurens’ midsection, “Could we give an eye for an eye? Would you let me see your tail up close?” Instantly the merman bared his teeth, moving away with raised hands. Alexander shuffled back, knees bent to act as a wall between the both of them.

 

            “I’m sorry, that was forward of me,” He stammered, cursing his curiosity. 

 

            “It was.” 

 

            Laurens sounded dejected and yet, defensive. Alexander tried to be as respectful as possible and keep his eyes off of the tail, but it was hard to when it kept thrashing in the colourful water. The fins kept catching the light, and by instinct Alexander would turn his head whenever a flop produced a spray of seawater. He eventually settled for using his hand as a shield that blocked out Laurens’ body, tail, fins, and everything else.

 

            Any movement of his was documented by the merman, and despite his rejection to Alexander’s question, Laurens found no issue with crawling closer, peeking through the gaps created by Alexander’s fingers. Being so close after being hissed at understandably made the human nervous, and when Laurens jumped up again he pushed back to make difference between the two of them. They occupied the different section of the slanted rock, barely out of arm’s length.

 

            “...Come here Alexander.” The tension snapped under Laurens’ rather commanding tone.

 

            “What-“

 

            “Come here,” Laurens asked, using his hand to beckon him forward, “Come closer.”

 

            The intimidating display from earlier had made him too reluctant to even consider the demand, but Laurens wasn’t having it. He half-sang, half-whined and launched himself up the rock. The larger jump scared the living daylights out of Alexander, who tried to back up so that he wouldn’t be squished to death. It wasn’t much use, and with how little surface area was left it was no surprise that Laurens ended up getting what he wanted. 

 

            The merman grunted with effort as he grabbed onto rock’s grips until he was able to grasp onto Alexander’s shoulder for leverage. With strenuous effort, he lifted the limb out of the water and onto one of the ledges below, his curved fins dripping with water. Up close the beautiful effect of the scales sparkling was amplified, and Alexander gasped aloud at the display. 

 

             The urge to touch it made his fingertips dance, but he didn’t want to try the creature again. 

 

            “Can I touch it?” The merman at first looked confused at the question, but when Alexander pointed at the tail again, he found the resolve to let out a tentative nod. Laurens wasn’t growling this time, but his claws were still unsheathed and very prominent on Alexander’s thigh, remaining there as the human leaned forward to get a better look at the merman’s tail.

 

            If there was any word to describe the texture it would simply be; fine. It was just like handling a fish, the same scaly feeling combined with moisture and silk. The underside of the tail was smooth, but when his hand inched up Laurens hissed in warning. Alexander’s hand flew back to the safety of his lap, shoulders raised and feet tapping against the perch in anticipation of a fight or flight reaction. Every time Laurens did anything with his mouth he feared those sharp canines would be lodged in his throat, the claws raking down his back and grabbing onto his hips as he drowned Alexander to the depths.

 

            He proceeded more cautiously from that point on, lightly petting the frills that separated the top of the tail from the membrane of the underside. Laurens responded in a more positive matter, chirping and twirling the tail ends when Alexander touched a spot he assumed was pleasant. Though danger hung overhead, the little noises did provide an odd source of comfort. He was much like a cat, with the odd human qualities here and there.

 

            More and more questions surfaced throughout the odd conversations the two held, most of them having to do with the society Laurens came from. The merman would often shrug them off, claim it was a secret and ask to feel Alexander’s hand against a certain selection of scales. From the exploration Alexander learned that the ribbed spine of the tail was the most sensitive part, and let loose that humans were weak if you managed a blow between the legs. It seemed to amuse Laurens, and why wouldn’t it, the merman had grown up with a tail his whole life, so to know better would be odd at best.

 

            But of course, the comfortable exchange of questions couldn’t last without Laurens doing something that was more than odd. It started with him pulling himself up and draping his body over Alexander’s lab so he couldn’t move, his tail hanging out behind him so that only the long tips were touching the water. His eyes zoned in on Alexander’s throat, and he raised two hands to pinch the spot where the collarbone met his Adam’s Apple. 

 

            “Here,” He said.

 

            “Uh, pardon?” He asked, dumbstruck.

 

            “If I cut you here, would you be able to breathe underwater?” Alexander’s blood ran cold, and he peered out of the corner of his eye to see if Laurens was intending to come off as threatening. Thankfully, the merman looked perfectly calm, cheerful even, like the cat who just caught the canary. Perhaps he was just curious and didn’t understand the implications. That was fine, it was fine-

 

            “No,” He replied, shaking, “I would bleed to death. Humans can’t breathe underwater. If we tried we would drown because we don’t have gills.”

 

            “Ah,” Laurens hummed, “But I can breathe on land, so long as I remain damp. Must be unfortunate to be a species stranded on land with no escape.”

 

            “But the land is beautiful. It’s full of life and specimen and everything a human could want. Why would we want to be anywhere else?” It was meant as a light hearted reply, but Laurens’ expression hardened. The gilled fingers belonging to the merman lifted themselves from Alexander’s neck, but when the man glanced down he could see that a few red marks from where he’d pressed in hard still remained. 

 

            Alexander let himself breathe for a moment, crawling back on his hands so that Laurens wouldn’t be able to come close to his neck again without hauling his tail out of the water.

 

            Surely it wouldn’t be too much of a risk to try swimming back now? The moon was fully visible, the yellow light spilling out onto the ocean and turning the darker colours into a beautiful painting of green and blue that was disturbed, but gorgeous. The position Laurens had chosen to rest in would give Alexander a head start, if the amount of time it took for Laurens to move his tail was any indication. The only obstacle would be getting to land once Laurens was in the water. He was no Mer expert, heck he hadn’t seen one until that evening, but he’d bet that in the water Laurens could catch up to him in seconds. He would be dinner, or an early breakfast, by that point.

 

            His stomach grumbled at the thought of food, and one of Alexander’s hands pressed down on the organ to stifle the sound. The pressure doubled as a desperate attempt to chase away the foreign thoughts of food and salvation, far from the prison cell that was this slab of land. Unfortunately, Laurens caught the sound too, and trilled at him questioningly. 

 

            “Are you alright, my dear Alexander?” The sickening tone asked.

 

            “I’m fine, just,” He paused, “Just hungry. I really should be getting back.” He immediately knew his plea to return home would be taken wrong when the merman’s expression shifted.

 

            Laurens had shot up straight, eyes shining like stars and cheeks puffed out like a proud child who’d just cornered a rabbit. “I would expect you would be, I am too. I could catch us some fish, perhaps an eel, if you would enjoy such a delicacy.”

 

            Alexander stopped the impulsive response to reason that no, he couldn’t eat raw fish, and coughed once to cover his tracks. “I would appreciate that. I’m guessing someone as skilled as you would have more experience fishing firsthand than me.” The pride was evident in Laurens’ body language, the merman’s chest puffed out as all gills on his body gaped open to make him look as big and impressive as possible.

 

            He was scared to death by the creature, but he couldn’t deny how much of an effect the display had on him. He could clearly see another set of fins where Lauren’s abdomen should be and a barrage of more gills. They overlapped at his ribs and fluttered in the stronger than average wind. All of it was very eye catching, as he expected it to be.

 

            Laurens appeared to be preening under the attention, but eventually was forced to tear his gaze away from the captive human so that he could turn in the direction of the water.

 

“Please stay here. I shouldn’t be gone long.” Laurens tapped Alexander’s shoulder twice, his smile not reaching his eyes. Alexander bit the inside of his cheek, nodding once to show he had heard. 

 

            Before he’d even finished his sentence, Laurens was diving into the ocean, a fountain of water soaking Alexander thoroughly. If he was still alive by the end of this endeavour, there was no doubt he would be terribly sick, but for now he was most upset at the disgusting feeling created by wet clothes on skin. 

 

            Just to be safe, he decided to wait until Laurens was out of sight, though not too long in case he truly was the most gifted fisher this part of the Caribbean and was back before Alexander even had the insight to put a toe in the water. It was a bit hard to keep track of the navy blue scales, as not only did Laurens blend into the water perfectly enough to be a passing mirage, but the ocean was stirring again, this time without aid from the wind.

 

            Whitecaps crashed against the rock, the foamy spray leaving no spot on the rock dry. Alexander grabbed both of his elbows and huddled in close, trying to block out the whistling in the distance which warned of a wake high enough to swallow him. Still, the depths crawled higher and higher, at some point being high enough to be an exaggeration. Alexander had the guts to crawl to the side of his makeshift roost, but it only took one look at what he’d have to be braving for him to scurry back to the middle of the rock. To leave now would be suicide. 

 

            He spat at the water in defiance, but time was passing at what felt like a rapid pace. Alexander squinted at the distance, sighting the beach, which was overcome with waves. It didn’t look too far; it was still a very reasonable swim away minus the waves. All he needed to do was follow the direction of the water and avoid the undertow. Easy. It was a better fate than waiting for his demise with Laurens. He didn’t care if the merman had little to no intentions of hurting him. The prospect of it was still there, and it terrified him more than anything.

 

            Stopping by the edge, he took a deep breath, then lowered himself down. His bare feet screamed against the rock, but he refused to stop until both had been lowered into the water. His arms were his only lifeline, and he could feel his grip waver the more he waited. In the rock’s shadow there was a lack of merciless waves, but that was only the case for a few feet. It would still be a lot of effort to keep afloat until his feet could touch the sand, but Alexander decided instead of stressing to just brave it and see what goes.

 

            His right foot pushed off the rock structure and he surged forward, shoulders aligned and calves burning from overexertion. Alexander pushed his head to the side and gulped down air, trying in vain to keep the water out of his nose. Hours of hunger combined with an already tired body didn’t yield good results, and the moment he was out from the protection of the rock he knew it well.

 

            The terrifying waves tossed and turned him about. In an attempt to survive and remain afloat, he tucked his knees in and somersaulted a few lengths, his arms curling around his head protectively as he spun around. When his lungs screamed for air he kicked his legs out and brushed what he thought might be some kind of rock or undersea specimen, though it didn’t give him the push he needed. Bubbles exploded from his mouth as he felt himself being pulled under and back, the darkness suffocating the light of the moon and trapping him under the ocean’s cruel skin. 

 

            Hope was fleeting, but he still tried to push himself up. His legs were curling in on themselves, much too tired to continue, but he pushed himself beyond his limits in the quest to break the surface and gasp for some kind of relief. The bubbles floating up almost taunted him, laughing at how easy it was for them to rise up, rise up, while he crawled on the ocean floor.

 

            Something hit his ankles and he brought his body up into a crouch, watching as the blues and grays were overshadowed by puffy black clouds. His back was brushed by something ice cold, and without prompting, his neck was yanked backward, leaving any remaining bubbles to escape for good. His jaw ached, though it was a dull pain compared to the agony his neck and head felt from how violent the pull was.

 

            That’s when he was jerked in the direction of something- no, someone else. Even half-conscious, he still had the sense to fall limp in sheer terror when Laurens swam into view, the merman’s face pulled into a mask of hostility. The once beautiful green eyes were barely visible, the pupils no bigger than pinpricks, gills open and claws unsheathed. The razor sharp spine of the tail was striking the water as violently as it possibly could, making the water  _ swoosh _ around the both of them.

 

            Despite how angry the merman looked no teeth ripped open his throat. Laurens was almost driven savage by his anger, but he at least had the foresight to grab Alexander by the waist and shoot up to the sky as fast as possible. It happened so fast that Alexander felt his ears pop, and his body jerk as the depth changed too fast for his body to keep up with. 

 

            The surface, which only mere seconds ago was unreachable, embraced Alexander with open arms, greeting him like an older lover when the two of them breached it. Water was still clogging his ears, but even with his hearing dampened he could tell that Laurens was in an intense stupor, shrieking at him in a foreign tongue. He had no words to respond with, and could only wheeze weakly as he hacked up sea water. 

 

            It was so surreal, so calm even in the wake of so much destruction. Every limb of his was detached from his head, slack above the water. Laurens even had to go out of his way to hold Alexander’s head above the water, as the man lacked the strength to do anything beyond just breathing.

 

            “Alexander,” Laurens cried, “Alexander, why? I warned you not to leave, I told you that it was too dangerous with your state. Why didn’t you listen to me?” The anger had evaporated from his tone, but Alexander could still see his face scrunched in a passive aggressive smile, both disappointed and yet mocking, as if he had expected it all along. His chirps of concern grew in volume, one hand releasing Alexander’s waist so that he could flick his wrist in an odd display of grace. In a moment’s notice, the waves that once screamed and shook Alexander like a rag-doll were now lifeless little things that peeked over the surface with no intent to harm.

 

            He peered over Lauren’s shoulder with amazement, betrayal slowly creeping into his heart as he realized the waves from the start had been a show. They were weapons of the Mer, terrifying yet beautiful in his hands. Mere arms of the enchanted. They were supposed to keep him on that rock, isolate him from returning to land where he would be free from Laurens’ curious green eyes.

 

            The realization brought on a final struggle to tear himself loose, Alexander’s last resort. While Laurens had his hand up in the air, Alexander dug his trimmed nails into the hand holding his neck, trying to slice open the delicate webbing in-between the fingers. Laurens wailed, but the grip only faltered slightly. 

 

            Alexander refused to give up, his back bucking up in an attempt to throw the merman off. If he got lucky, he might be able to make him lose his balance, and the precious seconds he would need to align himself in the water would do him wonders. However it did null. Laurens only appeared to be angrier, bringing his hand back and ripping his claws through the soft skin above Alexander’s abdomen. 

 

            Shrieking, Alexander spat out curses and twisted in the clutches of the merman. The panic combined with the near death experience was proving to be too much for Alexander to handle, and he didn’t realize he was hyperventilating until he felt too dizzy to even recognize Laurens’ appearance.

 

            None of the merman’s soothing coos could break Alexander out of the state of hysteria, dehydration making itself more evident with each feeble gesture made to loosen the grip the creature had on him. The scent of salt was flooding his nostrils, and it made his already unfocused eyes burn. 

 

            “Dearest Alexander,” Laurens began, voice rough, “Please halt your aggressions before you hurt yourself.”

 

            “Get the fuck off of me!” Alexander hoarsely choked, his chest feeling like it would break if he tried to speak another word. The moon flashed above and he whimpered, screwing his eyes shut as the bright light shocked his salt-swollen eyes.

 

            “You are overwrought. Allow me to care for you.” The merman’s injured hand tried to cup Alexander’s cheek, but the man smacked it away. 

 

            He liked to believe that he had some control over Laurens, but the minute he acted out against him the nice facade disappeared. Laurens gritted his fangs, then forcefully  _ wretched _ both of Alexander’s arms back with as much force as he could muster. Alexander heard a  _ pop  _ noise ring out, and that was all he could take before he lost the will to keep fighting.

 

            Suddenly they were moving. Alexander’s stomach hit the open air, and now he could see the three skinny lines wrapping around his ribs to his navel. The water that pooled around it became a yellow, rust-like colour, but he wasn’t losing enough blood for it to change crimson. It still gave quite a scare, and if the throbbing sensation on his neck was anything to go by, he was likely still bleeding from there too. The worst place he could possibly be with two wounds would be the salt-water ocean, but the last fight had drained him of any initiate to make a break for it. He’d given all he had, and it wasn’t enough.

 

            He settled for aimlessly watching the navy blue tail propel them forward through the water. Laurens was underneath him still, his nose nestled in Alexander’s clavicle and his arms still wrapped possessively around his catch’s body. The essence of a smirk was there, like this was some sort of game he’d won. In that sense, he truly was the cat from the simile; the cruel man who’d decided to play with his prey rather than give it a merciful death.

 

            They paddled back to the rock, where Laurens finally loosened his grip enough to spin the dehydrated and exhausted Alexander over to look him straight in the face. That lopsided, playful grin was back, matching Alexander’s pitiful expression with adoration.

 

            “You gave me quite a scare there Alexander! I thought you might have drowned.” Alexander’s throat burned in warning, the mere act of swallowing his saliva alike to drinking gravel. Laurens looked determined to get an answer, prodding his cheeks and touching his ears, which made his toes curl.

 

            “Are you not going to apologize? I went out of my way to impress you with a meal, and I came back to you trying to flee without even giving me compensation for my effort,” He clicked his tongue as a reprimand, as if Alexander was a child.

 

            Alexander let his head loll down when Laurens released it, but eye contact was apparently a must have for the merman. The merman’s hand, the one that didn’t have scratch marks embedded in it, tilted his head up, revealing the freckled face that looked like it hadn’t seen stress in years. Look past the gills replacing the ears, and he could pass for a human, the bundle of hair tied back resembling the looks Alexander had seen adult men wear on the streets, though definitely a lot more full on Laurens’ end.

 

            The delusional thoughts must have been brought on by the sweet release of death, and to spite himself, he choked out his best impression of a chuckle. The noise was strangled and sore, but Laurens seemed pleased to have finally been given a reaction, squeezing Alexander close to his frigid body and twirling his heavy tail around the both of them, frills dancing along with the movements.

 

            “Even at the foot of your demise you look beautiful,” He sighed. “The men on the beaches are so ragged and worn. You would be ugly like that if you left.” Alexander floated bonelessly, unwilling to do anything but listen at this point.

 

            “Hm, I may not be able to cut gills into you, but surely I can keep you above the water. The cove perhaps,” Laurens trailed off, the ribbons attached to his blubber swirling above water.

 

            The two bobbed above the water for a few minutes, Alexander letting his strength return as Laurens mumbled to himself whilst stroking his hands up the soft muscles and tissues in the human’s arms. The wound on his stomach had been unable to close, and the raw salt was making it sting whenever he was jostled about. When Laurens’ hand finally travelled low enough and brushed the spot, he let out a soft moan of pain, which prompt the Mer to purr in comfort for the injured human.

 

            “You are so gentle and soft and beautiful.” If Alexander looked up now he might see the madness in Laurens’ eyes, the green pits lit with a hellish flame by what he desired, but shouldn’t have. “There are other soft things too, shells and pearls that are so beautiful. I keep them safe by the water’s edge.”

 

            Laurens mewed into Alexander’s neck, then brushed aside the dark hair covering his ear. “You are so delicate. If I let you go, you will not swim back. Would you come back to me Alexander?” He asked, intentions far from pure, but presented as such. Alexander couldn’t even decipher what he was talking about, the topic of conversation lost now that his brain was melted by all that had occurred. Laurens waited for minute, reading every physical reaction of Alexander’s. A twitch of the hand, a leg kicking out when his bottom flippers flicked it, a dizzying breath sucked in only to be released with a rattling sigh. 

 

            The dimming lights in Alexander’s eyes were flashing again, and he interpreted the moving shapes as a sign that he was being relocated. When his leg kicked out, it didn’t brush anything hard, meaning he couldn’t be close to the rocks. Laurens was still there, so he couldn’t be on land. Were they headed back to shore?

 

            His eyes fought with him every step of the way, but he eventually mustered the energy to open them enough to let his pupils take in light. There was an overwhelming sense of blue at first, more than what would be natural for the reef, and that’s when he knew something was horribly wrong.

 

            “Laurens,” He croaked, voice protesting. They stopped before the second syllable had been spoken, like Laurens had been waiting to hear from his catch.

 

            “Oh Alexander,” Laurens cooed from behind, “I’m sorry. I would have just sung for you tomorrow, but I know I have scared you and it will not work.” His chest quaked. “Forgive me.”

 

            He tried kicking out one last time, but Laurens had already grappled his back and kept his shoulders from pressing back, dipping them headfirst into the depths.

  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Fun fact, this was supposed to be only a thousand words when I first came up with the idea. The pacing is very poor, but I thought I'd add a bit more spice into the Lams tag with a new approach to a classic AU. I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did writing it! c:


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